Today, TIFF proudly announces its 2025 Discovery programme, presented by Air France, offering audiences a rare treat to witness talented, visionary filmmakers from across the globe premiering their debut and sophomore features. This year’s diverse lineup kicks off strongly with its opening night film, “Maddie’s Secret,” an unmissable directorial debut satirizing and skewering content culture from iconic alt-comedian John Early, who, alongside a troupe of comedians including Kate Berlant, Vanessa Bayer, and Conner O’Malley, plays the titular role. Other anticipated films include Cato Kusters’ “Julian,” produced by Michiel and Lukas Dhont; Nadia Latif’s “The Man in My Basement,” starring Corey Hawkins and Willem Dafoe; Zamo Mkhwanazi’s “Laundry,” a rare co-production between South Africa and Switzerland; Taratoa Stappard’s “M?ori Gothic M?rama;” and Canadian director and TIFF alum Eva Thomas’ “Nika & Madison.”

The Discovery programme holds a rich history of championing and launching some of the world’s most acclaimed filmmakers, such as Ildikó Enyedi, Alfonso Cuarón, Julie Dash, Jean-Marc Vallée, Christopher Nolan, Maren Ade, Yorgos Lanthimos, Barry Jenkins, Dea Kulumbegashvili, Emma Seligman, and Elegance Bratton. The 2025 Discovery selection has been programmed by Dorota Lech, Jason Anderson, Kelly Boutsalis, Diana Cadavid, Robyn Citizen, June Kim, and Jason Ryle. The programme will deliver 23 World Premiere titles, spanning 30+ countries, including Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey, promising this year to be a truly unmissable moment to catch the international voices of the future.

2025 Discovery Programme (in alphabetical order):

“100 Sunset” | Kunsang Kyirong | Canada
World Premiere

“Amoeba” | Siyou Tan | Singapore/Netherlands/France/Spain/South Korea
World Premiere

“As We Breathe” | ?eyhmus Altun | Turkey/Denmark
World Premiere

“Babystar” | Joscha Bongard | Germany
World Premiere

“Bayaan” | Bikas Ranjan Mishra | India
World Premiere

“Dinner With Friends” | Sasha Leigh Henry | Canada
World Premiere

“Egghead Republic” | Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja | Sweden
World Premiere

“Forastera” | Lucía Aleñar Iglesias | Spain/Italy/Sweden
World Premiere

“Ghost School” | Seemab Gul | Pakistan
World Premiere

“Julian” | Cato Kusters | Belgium/Netherlands
World Premiere

“Laundry” | Zamo Mkhwanazi | Switzerland/South Africa
World Premiere

“Little Lorraine” | Andy Hines | Canada
World Premiere

“Maddie’s Secret” | John Early | USA
World Premiere

“M?rama” | Taratoa Stappard | New Zealand
World Premiere

“Nika & Madison” | Eva Thomas | Canada
World Premiere

“Noviembre” | Tomás Corredor | Colombia/Mexico/Brazil/Norway
World Premiere

“Oca” | Karla Badillo | Mexico/Argentina
World Premiere

“Our Father” | Goran Stankovic | Serbia/Italy/Croatia/North Macedonia/Montenegro/Bosnia and Herzegovina
World Premiere

“Out Standing” | Mélanie Charbonneau | Canada
World Premiere

“Retreat” | Ted Evans | United Kingdom
World Premiere

“Sink” | Zain Duraie | Jordan/Saudi Arabia/Qatar/France
World Premiere

“The Man in My Basement” | Nadia Latif | United Kingdom/USA
World Premiere

“The Son and the Sea” | Stroma Cairns | United Kingdom
World Premiere

Tomorrow’s TIFF Takeover is the Midnight Madness programme and the last announcement of the week. More Festival details will be announced in the coming weeks. The 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, presented by Rogers, runs September 4–14, 2025.

About TIFF
TIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organization with a mission to transform the way people see the world through film. A global leader in film and entertainment, TIFF initiatives include the annual Toronto International Film Festival® in September; TIFF Lightbox, which features five cinemas, learning and entertainment facilities; the Donald Shebib TIFF Film Circuit, an innovative national distribution program; and TIFF: The Market launching in 2026. The organization generates an estimated annual economic impact of $240 million CAD. TIFF Lightbox is generously supported by contributors including the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, the Reitman family (Ivan Reitman, Agi Mandel, and Susan Michaels), The Daniels Corporation, and RBC. For more information, visit tiff.net.

TIFF is generously supported by Festival Presenting Sponsor Rogers Communications.

TIFF is generously supported by Major Sponsors RBC and Visa and Major Supporters the Government of Ontario, Telefilm Canada, and the City of Toronto.

The Discovery programme is presented by Air France.